Madison Parks just released her debut EP. She also just graduated high school. The two life events aren't events that normally go together, but Parks managed to juggle finishing off her high school career while beginning her likely-long music career. This isn't the first release from Parks: we've gotten two singles over the last year or so. But this is the first collection of music that she has released. A debut EP isn't as important or momentous as a debut full length album, but it's the first thing people hear from you as an artist. And first impressions are everything.

Country pop is the sound of this EP, and Parks approaches that genre differently in each song. In some she has pop hooks and crowd sing along moments, and in others she sticks more to country sounds and themes. But it all fits together, in a cohesive first EP. The songs "Crazy Like That" and "Next To Me" were both released before the EP came out, and both songs are very good, especially "Next To Me." But the other three new songs on the EP manage to outshine the two singles.

The second track and the first new track "Used to You" begins as a mandolin-driven track, and grows into a very pretty country pop song about Parks finally finding a good guy, the right guy. This song isn't the best song on the EP, but it is a nice introduction to the new songs that Parks has been writing.

"Young" is a highlight of the EP, not just because it perfectly encapsulates the message of the collection as a whole, but it's also a perfectly written and produced country pop song. This could be strong single material, because it's a song that not only represents Parks as an artist currently, but it's also incredibly catchy. The song has crowd appeal, with the song-along at the bridge, in which Parks sings, along with hand claps, "Live it up / while we're young" over and over again. This song isn't profound, and it's not lyrical genius, but it's a solid, catchy song and it is perfect to appeal to the audiences that Parks should be aiming to reach.

Image from facebook.com/madisonparksmusic.artistpage

"13 Years" is the only true ballad on the EP, and it closes on the record on a bittersweet note. Parks talks about leaving for college (for her will be Belmont University in Nashville) and celebrating the time that she had with someone she loved when she was at home. The acoustic base is a nice change of pace from the rest of the more fully produced songs on the record, and the raw sound of the track reflects the message. "Been a lot of happiness and tears / the past thirteen years," Parks sings over an acoustic guitar and banjo based production. There are definite similarities between this song and some older Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood songs, and some songs by rising pop/rock and country songwriter Cali Rodi, like "Homemade" and "Friends Like Us." Parks tells her story on this song, and she does so excellently.

Parks takes after country Taylor Swift in two ways on this EP: the theme of young love that links every song on the record, and the fact that Parks writes her age. Parks graduates high school this year, so she's still in her teens. What's so refreshing about this EP is that it's all her voice. There are no songs on here that sound like they were written by someone older than 18. She co-wrote every song on the EP, which is very evident. This is the EP of a young woman who's growing up but also celebrating still being a teenager. There's a need in this industry to sing about mature topics, topics that young artist really don't know much about. But this EP is the real introduction to Madison Parks: musician, as well as Madison Parks: eighteen-year-old.
​Best tracks: Young, 13 YearsThrowaway tracks: noneOverall rating: 4 ½ crowns